Soldier Honored: Sean D. Diamond

Staff Sergeant (SSG) Sean Diamond, 41, of Dublin, California, joined the Army as an infantryman in September 1987 and later served in the Reserve. After a short break in service, he returned to active duty in 2000 and became a heavy equipment operator. SSG Diamond cared for soldiers and offered the type of mentorship and care that kept his subordinates safe, motivated and focused on their mission. While on his third tour in Iraq, SSG Diamond was assigned to the 610th Engineer Support Company, 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington. On February 15, 2009, SSG Diamond was killed in Salam, Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Soon after his passing, soldiers raised the question to their chain of command about changing the name of their Forward Operating Base. The decision was quickly made that naming the base after SSG Diamond would be a fitting way to honor his memory. Approval from higher headquarters came just as swiftly and it was changed to JSS Diamond.

The California native graduated from high school in Colorado and attended a year of college. He loved his family and spent as much time as possible with his wife and four children when he was not deployed or in training. Many close to him knew SSG Diamond for his smile. People would say that you could not find a photo of him where he was not smiling.

SSG Diamond is survived by his wife and four children, all of whom are Folds of Honor Children’s Fund scholarship recipients.